I spoke with many people over the last couple of weeks about their struggles and trials with mental illness. One of the most common complaints I heard was the stigma.

They accused reporters like me of perpetuating myths about mental illness or dismissing the issue as some minor, insignificant problem.

They are right.

We in the media need to change our tone to try and help erase the stigma so people can get over the embarrassment and get treatment. After all, we are partly to blame.

I've changed the way I've phrased things over the last several months. Instead of saying "so-and-so is mentally ill," I now try to say "so-and-so is suffering with mental illness."

I've also promised myself not to label someone by their condition, like "so-and-so is schizophrenic. "
Would we say Joe Smith is cancerous?

As I said in my broadcast report, unfortunately the only time severe mental illness makes the news is when someone does something violent or there's a crime.

This is why I wanted to show the human side of Lancaster's story by talking to his mother. I can completely understand why she declined to share. She wants to protect her son.

Thankfully Paula Petty, the other mother I met in my report, was brave enough to talk about the struggles her family is facing. She was brave to talk about something so personal and stigmatic.

Scott Glaser, the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness said it best. "People living with mental illness are no more violent than anybody else. In fact, they're more likely to become a victim," he said.

How true.

I heard from DOZENS of people over the last week who've struggled to get help with their mental illness, but because of an over burdened system, they can't get long-term treatment or they can't get good health insurance coverage for therapy or medication.

They are, perhaps, victims of the system who have become prisoners of their own mind.

We can see some of those who have become lost begging on street corners or among bundles of blankets underneath grimy overpasses.

While I can't do much as a reporter to solve problems and fix things, I do hope from here on out I can be more sensitive to the topic and help people understand the human side of the issue.